Unit 3

Unit 3

Gender

Gender Belief System

All cultures have established sets of beliefs about men and women and the traits and roles they should possess. (Gender stereotypes, Beliefs about sexual orientation, gender role attitudes)

Perscriptive nature of gender stereotypes

Effortless Perfection - Female students feel that they have to conform to traditional ideas of femininity while also accomplishing the highest levels of academic success.

Gender Stereotypes

• Content of gender stereotypes

• Male vs. Female characteristics (The term “Opposite sex” - gender polarization)

• Bipolar assumption vs. Dualistic views (Can have both feminim and masculine attributions) 

Roots of Gender Stereotypes

• Religion - Devoutly religious and benevolent sexism

• Cultural Insituition - Media and advertising: faceism

• Social learning (Gender roles)

• Evolution vs Social Roles - Social Role Theory -

Social Role Theory are the gender differences we see today come from the different social roles we see in men and women. Women being more emotional then men, yet it is not true. Combination of biological and social factors over time turn into division of labor between sexes.

• People behave in ways that fit the social roles they play (Men more likely to wield physical, social, and economic power

Types of Sexism

• Old-Fashioned vs Modern Sexism

Old fashinioned - sexism characterize by traditional gender roles (Women working in the kitchen etc…)

Modern Sexism - denial of discrimination against women, hostility toward equality for women. (Modern Sexism Scale, MSS)

Neosexism - Subtle, Women already achieved equality, women who argue for equality are seen as people who just want to get an advantage.

• Ambivalent Sexism - A combination of hostile sexism and benevolent sexism

Hostile sexism: Negative, hostile attitudes toward women

Benevolent sexism: Positive, yet traditional, attitudes toward women (Still restricts womens freedoms. May enforce benevolent sexism)

Carrot and stick metaphor - reward and punishment

Conflicted (internal conflict and a sense of contradiction within one's own sexist beliefs) vs unconflicted (less awareness or recognition of the negative aspects of one's sexist beliefs.) ambivalence 

Effects of Sexism

Gender Discrimination 

• Sexism in the workplace:

Insults as jokes

Role stereotyping (Decided who does a task based on gender stereotype roles)

Physical focus (A way a woman looks.)

Gender labeling (If a woman is assertive they might be seen as bossy from other people)

Devaluing women’s opinions

Job opportunities

The glass ceiling and gender pay gap

Violence Towards Women and Intimate Partner Violence

• “No safe Haven”

• Sexual assault and rape

Violent (Offender who uses sexual assualt as hostility or rage. Doesnt feel sexually aroused.) vs power rapists (Feelings of feelings of inadequacy and feeds their issues of mastery, control, strength, authority and capability.)

• Primary reason is sexual arousal

• Most victims are child bearing age

Psychological characteristic of rapists.

• Lack of empathy, narcissism, and hostility towards women.

• Victim characteristics

• Rape Culture (Describes a setting where rape is normalize due to societal attitudes due to gender.)

Myths:

• Victim enjoy/want it

• They ask for/deserve it

• They tell lies/exaggerate

• Men are justified in their behavior or not responsible for unintentional side effects

• The acts are not really harmful

• The acts are unusual or deviant (He was drinking and not himself)

Intimate Partner Violence

• Phases of IPV (No particular order)

1. Tension Building Phase:

• Minor incidents increase; the abuser may act frustrated or angry.

• Victims feel the need to keep calm and may feel they are walking on eggshells.

2. Abuse Incident Phase:

• This stage involves physical, emotional, sexual, or financial abuse.

3. Honeymoon Phase:

• Post-abuse, the abuser may apologize or act romantically to win back the victim.

• Often includes gifts and tender gestures that can confuse the victim.

• Role of Denial:

  • Exists in victims' acknowledgment of abuse, abusers' actions, and societal perspectives, perpetuating the cycle of IPV.

  • Society often minimizes the severity of IPV, promoting victim-blaming attitudes.

Sexual Prejudice

Heterosexism, Homophobia, and Transphobia

Sexual Prejudice = Anti-LGBTQ Ideology

Researchers challenge the use of "sexual preference" as it implies choice rather than identity.

• Recent Developments:

  • Legalization of same-sex marriage (2015).

  • Repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" allowing LGBTQ individuals to serve openly in the military.

  • Hate crimes legislation protecting individuals based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

• Institutional Discrimination:

  • Historical laws criminalizing same-sex sexual activity, such as the Bowers vs. Hardwick decision (1986).

  • Ongoing challenges, particularly in education with laws like "Don't Say Gay."

Mental Health Implications

• Youth Experiences:

  • Elevated levels of bullying and discrimination lead to significant mental health challenges.

  • High levels of attempted suicide recorded among LGBTQ youth due to pervasive bullying and lack of acceptance.

• Statistics Highlighting Issue:

  • 85% of LGBTQ youth report verbal harassment at school.

  • Significant percentages have reported feeling unsafe or being physically harassed.

Cultural Perception & Media Representation

• Media's Impact:

  • Shift towards more inclusive and diverse representations of LGBTQ characters in television shows and films.

  • Examples include projects like "She-Ra" and "Schitt's Creek".

• Cultural Barriers:

  • Continued stigmatization leads to a need for advocacy and support for LGBTQ individuals in media and education.

Heteronormativity:

An ideological system or belief that naturalizes heterosexuality as the “norm” in society.

Gay people may fear to tell their parents that they are gay becuse they are worried about how their parents may react.

The Heterosexual Questionnaire:

What do you think caused your heterosexuality?

• When and how did you decide you were a heterosexual?

• Is it possible that your heterosexuality is just a phase and that you’ll grow out of

it?

• Is it possible that your heterosexuality stems from a fear or dislike of others who

are the same gender as you?

These questions are ridiculous, no one asks these questions! But take away heterosexual and put in bisexual, and that's the question these people get every day.

Consequences of Sexual Orientation Stigmatization

• Hiding their sexuality

• Profession close; painful closet (Secrecy and fear of outing)

• Internalized sexual stigma

• May make them feel like they are a bad person

• Psychological Distress and Mental Disorders

• Sexual prejudice → higher rates of depression, generalized anxiety

• LGBTQ more likely to have been abuses and bullied as children

Sexual Orientation: An Evolving Social Construct

Sexual orientation can be likened or related to race and gender

Persistence of pathologizing of homosexuality. Former Vice President Mike Pence, while governor of Indiana, proposed sending money allocated to care for people with HIV/AIDS to organizations that provide conversion therapy.

Transphobia

Trans people….

Get harrased and experienced violence across a variety of domains

Ridicule, stares, taunting

Sexually assaulted 

Misgendered

Excluted (Prisons, military, hospitals)

Bathroom bills

Health care

Homicide

Maybe a all of the above question in the test TBH.

Overcoming Sexual Prejudice

Keep free of heteronormative and gender- normative assumptions

Become aware of ethnocentric, heterosexist, gender-normative language and vocabulary

Educate yourself

Develop partnerships/collaborative relationships with LGBTQ groups

Challenging Prejudice, Hate, and Violence

Why is prejudice so difficult to reduce

Prejudice is caused by a range of factors (cognitive processes like categorization, motivational factors like ingroup favoritism)

Contemporary prejudice involves rationalization,justification, denial, and avoidance

These factors contribute to the maintenance of prejudice

Other terms in the final:

Stereotyping, Categorization, and Identity

Categorization & Stereotypes
Humans automatically categorize others (e.g., by race, gender), which simplifies processing but leads to stereotyping.

• Example: Seeing someone wearing a hoodie and assuming they’re dangerous is automatic categorization → stereotype.
  
  

Descriptive vs. Prescriptive Stereotypes

• Descriptive: What people think a group is like (e.g., “women are emotional”).
  
  

• Prescriptive: What people think a group should be like (e.g., “men shouldn’t cry”).
  
  

Essentialist Thinking
Belief that differences between groups (e.g., men vs. women) are natural, fixed, and rooted in biology.

• Example: Saying “boys will be boys” to excuse aggression.
  
  

Social Identity Theory
We define ourselves by group membership. This boosts in-group favoritism and out-group bias.

• Example: A student feeling superior because they attend a certain university (in-group) and disliking a rival school (out-group).
  
  

Ingroups vs. Outgroups
Ingroups = “us”; Outgroups = “them.”

• People show favoritism toward their ingroup and are more likely to stereotype or discriminate against outgroups.
  
  

Realistic Conflict Theory
Prejudice arises when groups compete over limited resources.

• Example: Anti-immigrant attitudes during economic downturns.
  
  

🎨 Colorism

Colorism
Bias based on skin tone, where lighter skin is favored over darker skin within the same racial/ethnic group.

• Example: Dark-skinned Black women being underrepresented in beauty ads compared to lighter-skinned Black women.
  
  

🚨 Hate Crime Offenders (Types)

Thrill-Seeking Offenders
Commit hate crimes for excitement or group approval. Often teens.

• Example: Teens spray-painting slurs on a mosque “for fun.”
  
  

Defensive Offenders
See themselves as “defending” their community or values.

• Example: Assaulting a gay couple who just moved into a neighborhood.
  
  

Mission Offenders
Believe it's their duty to eliminate a group they see as evil/inferior.

• Example: Mass shooters targeting a specific ethnic or religious group.
  
  

Retaliatory Offenders
Act in response to a real or perceived hate crime against their own group.

• Example: Attacking someone of another race after a racially charged news event.
  
  

🧠 Mental Health, Stigma, and DSM

DSM and Homosexuality
Homosexuality was classified as a mental disorder in the DSM until 1973. The removal was a turning point for LGBTQ+ rights.

Microaggressions
Subtle, everyday insults or slights that can be intentional or unintentional.

• Example: Saying “you don’t look gay” or asking a person of color “where are you really from?”
  
  

Colorblindness
Claiming to “not see race” ignores structural inequality and invalidates people’s lived experiences.

• Example: Saying “we’re all just human” in response to someone discussing racism.
  
  

👁 Prejudice Reduction

Jane Elliot’s Blue Eyes/Brown Eyes Experiment
A 1968 classroom simulation where students with blue eyes were treated as superior, quickly leading to discrimination.

• Showed how easily prejudice can be taught and internalized.
  
  

The Contact Hypothesis
Prejudice can be reduced through meaningful contact between groups under certain conditions: equal status, shared goals, cooperation, and institutional support.

• Example: Diverse teams working together in the military or sports.
  
  

Sherif’s Robber’s Cave Study
Two groups of boys at a summer camp were pitted against each other → conflict and prejudice.
Only cooperation on shared goals (e.g., fixing the water supply) reduced hostility.

Individual Techniques

• Confrontation: Calling out bias when it happens
  
  

• Stereotype suppression: Actively pushing stereotypical thoughts out of mind
  
  

• Self-regulation: Reflecting on biases and adjusting behavior
  
  

Processes in Prejudice Reduction

• Decategorization: See people as individuals, not group members
  
  

• Salient Categorization: Make someone’s group identity visible in a positive light (e.g., showing a Black scientist in a STEM ad)
  
  

• Recategorization: Shift group boundaries (“we” instead of “us vs. them”)
  
  

Jigsaw Classroom Technique
Students work in diverse small groups where each person becomes an expert on part of a topic. Cooperation reduces bias and improves intergroup attitudes.

Colorblind vs. Multicultural Approaches

• Colorblind: Pretends differences don’t exist – leads to ignored inequality
  
  

• Multicultural: Embraces and celebrates group differences – better for prejudice reduction
  
  

🔪 Violence & Evil – Baumeister’s Theories

Myth of Pure Evil
People often believe evil acts are done by evil people who enjoy causing pain. In reality, many acts of evil are done by people who believe they are justified.

Self-Esteem and Violence
Violence can be triggered when someone with inflated self-esteem feels insulted or disrespected.

• Example: A narcissistic person lashing out when criticized.
  
  

Baumeister’s Four Roots of Evil

1. Instrumental violence – Evil done as a means to an end (e.g., robbery)
   
   

2. Threatened egotism – Violence from a bruised ego
   
   

3. Idealism – Believing you’re doing good by eliminating “bad” (e.g., religious extremism)
   
   

Sadism – Rare; genuine enjoyment of causing harm